Compressed Volume Structure Tester (CVST)

The CVST by HITEC Luxembourg is a void-volume tester, which is derived and further developed from the ASTM standard D6086 “Standard Test Method for Carbon Black—Void Volume (VV)” and compliant to the new ASTM standard D7854 “Carbon Black—Void Volume at Mean Pressure”.

The void volume of a carbon black expressed as a function of mean pressure is a carbon black structure property. The greater a carbon black resists compression by having substantial aggregate irregularity and non-sphericity, the greater the compressed volume and void volume. Compressing carbon black powder breaks its agglomerates and aggregates to a similar extent as in the sample preparation for the compressed oil absorption COAN as per ASTM D3493. By measuring the decompression of the powder it is possible to derive a residual void-volume, which reflects well the COAN - this is naturally intuitive as it describes the powder in a similar physical condition (i.e. in uncompressed state after breaking agglomerates/aggregates).

With an exchangeable compression chamber, it is possible to optimize this new method for best testing conditions. Its control software, which is under constant evolution, can further determine other characteristical responses like material friction, work absorbed by compression/decompression, etc. The CVST by HITEC Luxembourg complies with the present and future requirements of standards on void-volume, but above all it may become the ONE instrument to characterize material, fast clean and easy – carbon black, and other powder or granulate materials.